The Chinese state-owned organisations Aerospace Long March International Trade Company Limited (ALIT) and Radio, Film and TV Design and Research Institute (DRFT) of China have finally got the job of setting up six full-fledged television stations for Bangladesh Television (BTV).

The Cabinet Committee on Purchase yesterday at a meeting approved a project of the information ministry to set up the six BTV stations. The meeting, presided over by industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, was held at the Secretariat.

According to the proposal, the six TV stations would be set up in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensing and Khulna. The new TV stations would be set up to air news stories on the government’s development programmes and the country’s progress with a view to creating awareness among the people.

The Chinese companies will set up the stations on a turnkey basis. The Chinese government has assured Dhaka of providing Tk. 988.46 crore out of a total of Tk. 1,499.06 crore from the Exim Bank of China as a soft loan to establish the proposed TV stations. The BTV will implement the project titled ‘Establishment of five full-fledged TV stations of BTV’ to adopt digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTT) in accordance with the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) guidelines.

The BTV, ALIT and DRFT had signed a commercial agreement on November 11, 2015, to establish five TV stations. One more station, to be built at Mymensing, has been included in the project after the signing of the agreement. The project’s main objectives are to air the national policies and produce cultural, historical and entertainment programmes in Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Rangpur and Barisal regions, the proposal says.

The BTV, which is the state-owned national TV station, began its operations in 1964. It airs news and entertainment programmes to disseminate information among the people and contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development. It telecasts various programmes, such as dramas, documentaries, musicals and educational and information programmes, including 14 news bulletins in English and Bangla, on a daily basis.  

The BTV transmits 18 hours of programmes terrestrially and 24 hours through satellite everyday through a centre, a sub-centre and 14 relay stations. It launched BTV World, a separate satellite-based channel, on April 11, 2004.